How can I make the morning more 'Christmassy'

[WipsGlitter]

Last year the morning was a bit of disaster, kids were allowed to open their presents at 7am, that was done and dusted, then it was a mess of wrapping paper and packaging all over the show, which DP can't stand so is clearing up all the time.

And then it all seems to fall a bit flat until later when we get my mum and go to my sisters. We then come back home and have lunch and that bit's all fine, its the bit in the morning that just seems... crap really.

DP doesn't get that into Christmas, didn't wrap my present (which I had picked for myself anyway) and I got really cross.

What can we do to make that bit when we are hanging about to get my mum, seem less like we are just hanging about and killing time!!

We do stockings first - but not before 7! Then it's showers/dressed time and then breakfast. We do the full Aussie (a full English but cooked on the BBQ). After all that's cleared away we do pressies. We take our time, play Christmas CDs, watch what everyone else gets etc. Clearing up happens as we go and then afterwards it's time to play/read/look at your gifts.
This year we are thinking of not doing dinner until 5.00pm so the kids won't be either napping or tired. I'd love to take a trip to the beach as we won't be needing to cook (but BBQ-ed giant prawns and salad isn't particularly taxing to prepare!) in the morning. We would also play cards at some point.
Now in DHs family they have a frenzy of opening and it's all over by 8am. No one has a clue who gave what. I judge. I think it's a horrible, materialistic way of doing it. I could also point out I heard my first 'I'm bored' from a nephew at 8.40am!!!!

I saw on Pinterest (and I'm going to copy this year) that people use a giant box covered with wrapping paper as the rubbish bag. It seems like it would be prettier in pictures and it might keep your DP happier.

When we were little we didn't have too many presents and mum always asked loads of questions about what we did get from Santa saying she wanted to see it demonstrated or asking what it was, how I use it to sort of space out the opening of presents. We also took it in turns so everyone got all the attention for each gift.

momb our day sounds very much like yours. Stockings opened on our bed while DH and I wake up with a coffee is my favourite part of the day. The stockings usually contain things to keep them entertained for a short while. Small toy to build, magazine or sticker book and small crafty thing.

When we come downstairs we take turns to open gifts. We already use lots of sellotape but I will now be stealing the lottery numbers too. I was thinking a jam jar each to take turns drawing the numbers from?

We don't rush and take time to play with each gift after it's opened and tidy up as we go along. I'm also popping in and out the kitchen. This drags it out for most of the morning by which time my mum and gran arrive, with more presents, and we start all over again!

We did the box for the first time last year and it worked brilliantly.

Still refining our order as dd is 4 but last year (which we'll be roughly following this year) was -

Up around 6.30, open stocking presents. Make sure there's stickers / bits to keep the kids entertained while breakfast is prepared.

Simple breakfast of Xmas pancakes (pre prepared and frozen) with a pot of tea / coffee and juice in the living room (table laid for Xmas lunch night before)

Open Santa present, then family presents, each family member takes turns. Christmas songs in the background.

Oven on for lunch, everything prepared day before and in foil trays with timings written on lids.

Play with toys / presents with carols in background.

Lunch at 1.

Walk then games in the afternoon.

Buffet tea prepared and laid out around 6, everyone helps themselves as they please.

When dd goes to bed nice bottle of red and cheese board.

We have friends / neighbours for Xmas drinks on Christmas eve and have a family day on Xmas day itself.

Stockings first, no proper presents or going downstairs until mum and dad awake properly.

Everyone dressed and/or in warm PJs and dressing gowns, slippers etc, camera located, downstairs all together. You keep most of the presents back until Christmas Eve night so they come down and suddenly the pile has grown which is magical.

Put some Christmas music on, either a CD or just stick the radio on because they're all playing Christmas songs anyway. Make tea/coffee and breakfast.

Open presents after breakfast but do one at a time. When me and DSis were little we designated somebody to "be Santa" and hand out presents one by one and everybody could see what everyone got - I think this works if you have a smallish family. Then spending the rest of the morning playing with new things, getting changed into new clothes and finding other things to go with them for your Christmas Day outfit before lunch (which is preferably spent with other members of the family either at their house or yours).

Also, i will pick up bits and pieces of little things I'd like for myself, e.g. Favourite chocs or bubble bath, wrap them nicely and label them from the DC to avoid the anticlimax of DP not remembering that kind of thing. I'll also get him a few little bits from DC too. If you think your DP will do the same next year, perhaps choose and wrap your own gift from him to make sure you get the Christmas experience you want if he's not reliable enough to do it himself. Some people might think that is too pragmatic for a 'special' occasion and DP should do it, but I'd rather have the harmony of no nagging before hand and no disappointment on the morning of being second best. As long as I've spent his money on my present, I don't care who wrapped it!

Put Xmas tree lights on. Stockings in the bedroom-doc allowed to open them when they get up and play quietly. At a time of your choosing all go into living room and sit round the tree. dcs take it in turns to give out presents from under the tree one by one so we all sit round oohing and aahing as each one is opened.
After pressie opening, put on a new Xmas video specially bought for the occasion. Children phone relatives to wish them merry xmas. Play Xmas carols on the radio in the kitchen. Children help set the table with crackers, some special plates brought out only at Xmas time (could be paper plates if you don't like having special china plates) we have special mince pie plate.
Reserve one small mystery wrapped up present for each doc and place on their place setting (could be something like bubbles, little notebook, rattle eg similar to party bag pressiie)

We do stockings, pancakes for breakfast, church, playing with stocking toys, lunch and then presents. It certainly strings it out. By tge the time we've opened all the presents it's time for Christmas cake and slumping on the sofa in front of a Christmas dvd.

Christmas music and slow down the present opening, including watching others open their presents. A walk which doesn't have to anywhere special. Christmas DVD or cartoon if you are happy for tv to be on.

In stead of going downstairs and falling on the presents we do the girls a stocking each at the end of their beds. They bring them into us and open them on our bed with me and DH so that we get chance to wake up. Once they've been through those one adult goes down stairs to put the kettle and christmas tree lights on whilst the other helps the girls put their stuff back in their stockings.

Then we go downstairs, make a cup of tea and open presents leasurely.